Cigarette snuffer



Dec. 20, 1955 R. WILSON CIGARETTE SNUF'FER Fil ed A ril 27, 1954 W- WWW v-Aamm 2,727,521 Patented Dec. 20, 1955 Free 2,727,521 CIGARETTE SN UFFER Roger Wilson, Elma, Wash. Application April 27, 1954, Serial No. 425,794 4 Claims. (Cl. 131-256) This invention relates to an improved cigarette snuifer and has for its primary object the provision of a more efficient and practical device of this kind which rapidly extinguishes a cigarette butt deposited therein so that the cigarette will be extinguished before being discharged from the snuifer, as into an associated receptacle.

Another object is to provide such a device which will retain the cigarette butt and at the same time enable it to be readily discharged once the fire thereof has been extinguished.

The above and other objects may be attained by employing this invention which embodies among its features a cigarette butt receiving tube mounted to move in a substantially vertical path, a compression spring mounted in encircling relation to the tube and operatively engaging said tube for moving it upwardly in its vertical path, a cover mounted adjacent the lower end of the tube for movement in a vertical arcuate path which intersects the path of movement of the tube, and means mounted adjacent the path of movement of the tube and engaging the cover for yieldingly moving it in its arcuate path and into closing relation to the adjacent end of the tube.

Other features include spaced parallel guide bars having vertically aligned guide openings extending there through, a cigarette butt receiving tube mounted in said openings to move in a vertical path through the guide bars, a stop collar carried by the tube and extending outwardly therefrom between the guide bars, a spring encircling the tube and extending between the lowermost guide bar and the collar for moving the tube upwardly in the vertical path and the stop collar into engagement with the upper guide bar, a shaft carried by the lowermost guide bar and extending transversely adjacent one side of the vertical path in downwardly spaced relation to the lowermost guide bar, a cover loosely journalled on the shaft for movement in a vertical arcuate path beneath the guide bars and which intersects the vertical path, and a torsion spring encircling the shaft and bearing on the middle of the cover for urging it into close engagement with the lower end of the tube.

In the drawings:

Figure 1 is a side view in elevation of a cigarette snuifer in accordance with the present invention, showing it supported in a receptacle;

Figure 2 is an enlarged vertical sectional view through the snuffer;

Figure 3 is a horizontal sectional view taken substantially on the line 33 of Figure 2;

Figure 4 is a top plan view of Figure 2; and

Figure 5 is a view on a slightly reduced scale similar to Figure 2 showing a cigarette butt being discharged from the snulfer.

Referring to the drawings in detail, snuffer designated the illustrated generally it) comprises a frame including a pair of spaced vertical legs 12 carrying at their lower ends outwardly extending feet 14 by means of which the device is supported in a suitable receptacle 16. Extending between the legs influence of the spring 12 in vertically spaced relation are upper and lower horizontally extending bars 18 and 20, respectively, which are provided, respectively, with aligned openings 22 and 24 defining guideways for a cigarette butt receiving tube 26 which moves vertically through the guideways 22, 24, as will be readily understood upon reference to the drawings. Carried by and extending outwardly from the tube 26 intermediate the ends thereof and between the guide bars 18 and 20 is an annular stop collar 28 which is engaged by the upper end of a compression coil spring 30 which encircles the tube 26 and bears on the lowermost guide bar 20, as will be readily understood upon reference to the drawings.

Carried by and depending from the lower guide bar 20 adjacent one side of the vertical path of movement of the tube 26 are spaced parallel ears 32 between which extends a shaft 34 carried by the ears, and loosely journalled on said shaft are barrels 36 carrying a cover 33 which, as illustrated in the drawings, is adapted to extend across the lower open end of the tube 26 when the latter is in its elevated position to form a closure for the tube in order to retain a cigarette butt B in the tube for a time sufficient for the fire thereof to be extinguished. Encircling the shaft 34 between the barrels 36 is a torsion spring 40, one leg 42 of which bears on the underside of the lower guide bar 20, while the opposite leg 44 of the spring 40 bears on the underside of the cover 38 substantially at the center thereof so that when the cover is moved under the effort of the spring 44, it adjusts itself into fully closed relation to the lower end of the tube 26. In the preferred form of the invention, the tube 26 is provided at its upper end with a flare 46 which will serve to guide cigarette butts thereinto. r

In use, the cigarette butt B having been deposited in the tube 26, as shown in Figure 2, and owing to the relatively small size of the tube 26 and the inaccessibility of oxygen to the tube when the device is in the position as illustrated in Figures 1 and 2, the cigarette butt will rapidly become extinguished. The user may leave the extinguished cigarette butt in place until he is ready to deposit another one into the tube 26, or after the fire of the cigarette butt B has been extinguished, he may press downwardly on the upper end of the tube, so as to force it downwardly against the resistance of the spring 30 to Obviously, upon release of the downward pressureon the tube 26, it will return to its elevated position under the 30 and in so doing, thecover. 38. will be moved under the eiiort of the spring 44 into closed position with the lower end of the tube ready for a repeat operation. Owing to the loosely journalled connection of the cover 38 to the pivot pin or shaft 34, and the fact that the arm 44 of the spring 40 engages the cover at approximately its center, it will be evident that the cover will seat firmly against the lower end of the tube 26, even though the latter may be slightly misaligned. In this way, an air-tight seal between the lower end of the tube 26 and the cover 38 is established.

While in the foregoing there has been shown and described the preferred embodiment of this invention, it is to be understood that minor changes in the details of construction, combination and arrangement of parts may be resorted to without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention as claimed.

What is claimed is:

1. In a cigarette snulier, a frame comprising a pair of laterally spaced vertical legs, upper and lower vertically spaced horizontal bars extending between and fixed to said legs, said bars having vertically aligned guide openlugs-therethrough, a verticalcigarette receiving tube having-open upper and -lower ends, said tube being slidably engaged in said guide openings with the upper end of the tube normally rising above the upper horizontal bar, a fixed stop collar on said tube between said bars, first spring means compressed between the lower-horizontal bar andsaidstop collar and yieldably urging said tube upwardly towardanormal elevated position wherein said stop collar'eng'ages-the upperbar, a cover pivoted on a horizontal axis to said lower horizontal bar at one side of-the tube and second spring means'acting between said lower bar and said cover and yieldably engaging said cover with the lower'endof=the-tubein the elevated positiono'f-the tube, said tubebeing arranged to be depressed to move the cover downwardly out of closingengagement withthe lower endof the tube against the resistance of said second spring means so as to discharge acigarette through'the lower end of the tube.

2. ha cigarette snufierga frame comprising apair of laterally spaced vertical *legs, upper and lower vertically spaced horizontal bars extending between and fixed to saidlegs, saidbars having vertically aligned guide openings therethrough, a vertical cigarettereceiving tube having open upper and'lower ends, said tube being slidably engaged insaid guide openings with the upper end of the tube normally rising abovehe upper horizontal bar, a fixed stop collar on said tube between said bars, first spring means compressed between the lower horizontal barand said stop collar and yieldably urging said tube upwardlytoward a normal elevated position wherein said stop collar engages the upper bar, a cover pivoted on a horizontal'axis to said lower horizontal'bar at one side of the tube, and second spring means acting between said lower bar and said cover and yieldably engaging said cover with the lower end of the tube in the elevated position'of the tube, said tube being arranged tobe depressed to move. the coverdownwardly out-of closing engagement with the lower end of the tube against the resistanceof said second spring means so as to dischargea cigarette through the lower end of the tube,said first spring means comprising a helical spring circumposed on the tube.

3. In a cigarette snuffer, a frame comprising a pair of laterally spaced vertical legs, upper and lower vertically spaced horizontal bars extending between and fixed to said legs, said bars having vertically aligned guide openings therethrough, a vertical cigarettereceiving tube having open upper and lower ends, said tube being slidably engaged in said guide openings with the upper end of the tube normally rising above the upper horizontal bar, a fixed stop collar on said tube between said bars, first spring means compressed between the lower horizontal bar and saidstop collar and yieldably urging-said tube upwardly toward'a normal elevated position wherein said stop collar engages theupper bar, a cover pivotedon a horizontal axis to said lower horizontal bar at one side of the tube, and second spring means acting between said lower bar and said cover and yieldably engaging said cover with the lower end of -the tube in the elevated position of the tube, said tube being arranged to be depressed to move the cover downwardly out of closing engagement with the lower end of the tube against the resistance of said second spring means so as to discharge a cigarette through the lower end (of-the tube, said second spring means comprising anarmbearing against the lower horizontal bar and an arm bearing against the underside of the cover.

4. In a cigarette snufier, a frame comprising a pair of laterally spaced-vertical legs, upper and lower vertically spaced horizontalbars extending between and fixed to said legs, said bars having vertically aligned guide openings therethrough, a vertical cigarette receiving tube having open upper and lower ends, said tube being slidably engaged in saidguide openings with the upper end of the tube normally rising above the'upper'horizontal bar, a fixed stop collar on said tube between said bars, first spring means compressed between the lower horizontal bar and said stop collar and'yieldably urging said tube upwardly toward a normal elevated position wherein said stop collar engages the upper bar, a cover pivoted on a horizontal axis to said lower horizontal bar at one side of the tube, and second spring means acting between said lower bar and said cover and yieldably engaging said cover with the lower end of the tubein'the elevated position of the tube, said tube being arranged to be depressed to move the cover downwardly out of closing engagement with the lower end of the tube againstthe resistance of said second spring means so as to discharge a cigarette through the lower end of the tube, pivot means pivoting the cover on said lower horizontal bar comprising spaced ears depending from the "lower bar, a shaft extending between the ears, spaced barrels on said cover loosely journalled on the shaft-between the ears, and said second spring means comprising'a spring coil circumposed on the shaft between the ears, said-coil terminating at one end in an arm bearing against the under side of said lower bar and terminating at its other end in an arm bearing against the under side of'the cover.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 

